Judge Rejects Suit on Tulane Reorganization

A state judge in Louisiana on Monday rejected a lawsuit challenging Tulane University's decision, as part of a post-Katrina reorganization, to shut down a separate division for women, the Associated Press reported. The suit was brought by the great-great-great niece of the woman who donated money to Tulane to found the college. While much of the rhetoric of those backing the suit has focused on the ethical issues associated with honoring the wishes of original donors, the judge's ruling focused on the legal agreement to provide the funds. "The court finds the language of Josephine Newcomb's [the donor's] will contains no enforceable conditional obligation to support plaintiff's claim," the judge ruled.